Freida Wilson Niemeier

Freida Wilson Niemeier, age 94, of Waterville, passed away surrounded by her family on October 17, 2018 at Community Memorial Healthcare in Marysville.She was one of a family of seven children. She went to grade school at Santa Fe, Oklahoma and attended Alma High School. Every day she walked one and a half miles to school or to catch the bus to high school. In the summer of 1942, she completed a sheet metal course at East Central College in Oklahoma. She worked for Spartan Aircraft during World War II and was known as “Rosie the Riveter”. She worked for a grocery store and then American Airlines. She flew many places and saw a lot of the United States.On May 17, 1952, she married Melvin Niemeier who was a flight instructor for Spartan School of Aeronautics. They moved to Kansas in 1952 and bought the farm three and a half miles northwest of Waterville along the little Blue River. They lived there and raised four children. She loved flowers, gardening, cooking, sewing and her family. She was a great cook and there was always plenty to eat. She was noted for her delicious cinnamon rolls. She learned to sew and made her daughters’ clothes as well as her own. Melvin passed away on February 14, 1992. She then moved to town where she remained for many years enjoying her home.She was a 4-H leader and helped start the Busy Beavers 4-H club. She was an active member of St. Mark Lutheran Church and Lutheran Ladies Aid, a member of Hebron Circle, Happy Home FCE, American Legion Auxiliary, the Empty Spoon Coffee Club and Card Club. She love to play cards, hand and foot, pitch and pinochle. She was a serious card player and played to win. She loved her family and grandchildren celebrating birthdays, graduations, and weddings and just getting together for holidays. She had a good life. She is gone but not forgotten.She was preceded in death by her husband Melvin, her parents, sisters; Irene Wilson, Cleo Barr, brothers; A.J. Wilson and Ray Wilson and an infant sister Chesley Wilson.She is survived by her children; Linda (Arnold) Bruna, Waterville, Patricia (Lynn) Schwandt, Onaga, Donna (Ronald) Schmitz, Home City and Randy (Teri) Niemeier, Waterville. She was blessed with ten grandchildren Amy (Eric) Conrad, Osborne, Jay (Sandra) Schmitz, Winifred, Matt (Bethany) Schmitz, Waterville, Amber Schmitz, Home, Andrea Schmitz, Marysville, Brandy (Jonathan) Berg, Abilene, Justin (Monica) Bruna, Meriden, Daryl (Erin) Schwandt, Vliets, Dustin Schwandt, Onaga, Chantel (Lucas) Brooks, Waterville, ten great- grandchildren, and one sister Nell Remy.Viewing is from noon to 8:00 pm, Friday, with visitation between 6:30 and 8:00 pm, at Terry-Christie Funeral Home in Waterville.Funeral services are at 10:30 am, Saturday, October 20, 2018, at St. Mark’s Lutheran Church in Waterville with Sister Mary Arie officiating. Hymns include “How Great Thou Art” and solos “On Eagle’s Wings” and “In The Garden” by Soloist Kim Oatney. Kim also played the organ. Casket Bearers are Daryl Schwandt, Dustin Schwandt, Justin Bruna, Jay Schmitz, Mathew Schmitz and Eric Conrad. Burial is at Riverside Cemetery, Waterville.Memorials are suggested to St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and may be sent in care of the funeral home at PO Box 61, Waterville, Kansas 66548.